by Stephanie Nestor, Journalist, Council magazine
Energy efficiency is a key concern for councils and their communities, but it goes beyond using less energy. It’s also about optimising how energy is consumed in public spaces to prevent energy waste, and in turn reducing carbon emissions. Here Council has collated a group of councils from around the country and explored what they’re doing to create more energy efficient communities.
Councils around Australia are funding and implementing energy efficiency projects to curb energy waste and improve communities.
Energy saving measures not only provide environmental benefits, they can also reduce costs and improve quality of life for residents.
For councils, energy saving initiatives can include ensuring new developments are energy efficient before construction, helping businesses reduce energy consumption or encouraging households to install solar panels.
Council has rounded up a group of council initiatives from across the country, which are helping communities become more energy efficient.
Cardinia Shire Council – Energy Efficiency Handbook
Cardinia Shire Council has partnered with Federation University to create the Home Energy Improvement Handbook, which encourages physical changes to homes as well as behavioural changes.
The handbook is designed with households in mind, containing ideas and tips on how to improve energy efficiency, reduce household energy costs and improve thermal comfort.
The full handbook helps households understand where their energy comes from and how they might regulate consumption.
This includes reducing energy use, generating their own energy with solar panels, or better understanding household electricity bills.
This initiative aims to not only help residents save money, but also reduce energy waste and greenhouse gas emissions. It offers energy saving measures ranging from low-cost to high-cost, such as replacing technology and maintaining home features.
The handbook outlines measures according to their purpose, such as thermal regulation and reducing energy waste. Additionally, the handbook details how households in Cardinia can install solar panels, wind turbines or batteries and what savings they can expect, as well as a guide to understanding electricity bills.
There is both the complete handbook and a two-page summary for quick reference available on the Council’s website.
Randwick City Council – Australian Energy Foundation partnership
Randwick City Council has enlisted the help of the Australian Energy Foundation (AEF) to provide residents with advice about energy consumption and making their homes more energy efficient – even connecting them with suppliers that can help.
Randwick City Council, alongside eight other Sydney councils, worked with the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) to create Our Energy Future: The Renewable Energy Master Plan.
The plan aims to increase the proportion of renewable energy being used in the area. After the plan detailed the need for community energy advisory services to be available, Council selected the AEF to provide such services for Randwick residents.
Energy advisors at the AEF have helped households understand what they need to do to make their homes more energy efficient and referred them to suppliers that can help install the certain technologies/upgrades suggested.
The AEF has provided advice on areas such as solar panels, battery storage, insulation, LED lighting, hot water heat pumps, Home Energy Assessments and window films.
City of Adelaide – Free business energy assessments
The City of Adelaide is offering free energy assessments to 50 small businesses to assist with reducing energy costs and consumption, and providing businesses with rebates to cover the costs involved.
The technical energy assessment is free and helps businesses identify energy-saving opportunities for potentially saving costs on electricity and gas bills.
Businesses are then eligible for an 80 per cent rebate, up to a maximum of $5,000, to cover costs for implementing the energy saving measures outlined in their energy assessment report.
This program not only encourages businesses to save energy and money, but also recover from the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions.
Eligible businesses can be part of the accommodation, retail or food services sector. A variety of upgrades are available to businesses, such as equipment replacements, lighting upgrades, and hot water system improvements.
Brisbane City Council – Guidelines for energy efficiency at events
Brisbane City Council has outlined guidelines for avoiding energy waste for groups holding public events, focusing on reducing energy waste and also helping groups prevent poor air quality.
The type and amount of energy used at an event and transportation can have a negative effect on air quality, with even small changes helping to reduce emissions and energy waste.
Brisbane City Council’s waste hierarchy outlines the first priority for energy use is to avoid wasting energy, with the guidelines suggesting on-site solar to generate power instead of using diesel generators. Using the most efficient generators and utilising the full rated load of power can also reduce energy consumption.
Wasted energy can contribute to not only higher costs but also pollutants. Another suggestion is to ensure the mains at privately-owned venues use clean energy or ask for the venue to individually meter the event. All Brisbane City Council sites use 100 per cent renewable energy from GreenPower.
City of Sydney – Energy efficiency building standards
The City of Sydney has implemented performance standards for new net zero energy buildings, aiming to incorporate these standards into the early stages of new developments.
The performance standards will improve energy efficiency for new office, multi-unit residential, hotel, shopping centre and mixed-use developments and refurbishment projects.
Council has also released the Planning for net zero energy buildings report which highlights embedding energy efficiency into the planning stage of new developments.
While councils may use planning and design tools which drive lower energy use, there are little market incentives for developers. Often the benefits of energy efficiency go to the asset owner and tenants through lower energy costs and bills.
Council’s report investigates how Sydney and Greater Sydney councils can optimise energy efficiency through on-site and off-site renewable energy, encouraging developers to consider the path to net zero during both the planning and design processes.
Councils and energy efficiency
Local governments have a key role to play in aiding businesses and households alike to become more energy efficient. These initiatives highlight how even the smallest of changes can lead to Australians saving money on energy costs and reducing energy waste, making a lasting impact for communities across the country
